Dubai: At least 200 Indian workers at an Oman-based construction company have been left stranded as they have not received their salaries for past five months, a media report said on Wednesday.

“Our salaries are pending for the past five months. It has become quite difficult to push for the days ahead. Even money for food has become a problem,” the workers said. “We were waiting for the company to pay us, but they have failed to keep their promise. Five months have passed and it has become quite difficult to survive,” workers were quoted as saying by the Times of Oman.

The workers have lodged a complaint with the Indian embassy to get their dues. “We have lodged a complaint with the Indian embassy on August 10. We are ready to leave but we need to be paid for our work. We cannot leave empty-handed,” said the workers.

They said the company, which has project sites in Ibri, Mabelah, Nakhal and Bausher, was asking them to leave without clearing their dues.. “The company is just asking us to leave. They are not ready to clear our dues. Civil status cards of many workers have expired and the company is also not ready to renew them. We are caught up in a Catch-22 situation,” added the workers.

Attempts to get a comment from the company over the workers’ claims failed, the report said, adding that the health of some of the workers is also worsening.

“The Oman government and the labour law guarantee a salary for the workers according to the signed job contract agreed upon at the time of employment. So, if there is any violation in that the workers have the right to approach the labour department,” a Muscat-based legal adviser said.